Ionian Coast and Interior

The province of Enna, renamed “umbilicus Siciliae” (navel of Sicily) by Cicero, became an elegant resort in the Hellenistic age. The Romans erected a large number of Villas with mosaic floors, as the renowned Casa del Saluto in Morgantina, welcoming the visitors with a “greeting mosaic” wishing good health. Equally remarkable is the Casa del Ganimede. The Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina boasts an impressive peristyle and an area covered by 3500 square meters of some of the most beautiful Roman mosaics in the world. The fabulous Corridor of the Great Hunt, is the most pleasant and monumental part of the whole villa, showing mosaics of elaborate hunting scenes and exotic animals, but famous is also the room with female athletes wearing bikini and playing with a ball.

Roman architecture achieved its climax in the Theatre in Taormina (214 m above sea level). The monumental scene is an impressive stage, showing Mount Etna looming behind, and the Ionian sea ahead framed by Corinthian columns and niches.

Romans left interesting traces of their time in the splendid city of Catania: the Flavio theatre (I century BC), the Amphitheatre (II century BC), which still hides its bulk under the historical centre, the Achilles Baths (II century BC) decorated with stuccos, the obelisk surmounting the Baroque statue of the elephant ('u liotru), once seat of the local circus.

The Corinthian city of Syracuse (784 BC) boasts a wonderful treasure of archaeological sites:

• The Temple of Apollo and the Temple of Athena, both lying on the Ortygia island, Syracuse's original core. The latter was curiously incorporated in the city Dome.
• The Greek Theatre and the Ear of Dionysius, situated in the Neapolis Archaeological Site. The latter is a grotto hewn out of a quarry. It was given its curios name by Caravaggio because of the particular form of its entrance.
• The imposing Euryalus Fort, which was erected in 401 BC. Its innumerable underground passageways once linked various strategic points of the surrounding defensive walls (long 27 Km).

Important traces of the Bronze Age were found in the province of Syracuse:

• Pantalica's Necropolis, with its huge rock honeycomb made up of 5000 burial chambers;
• Castelluccio and Thapsos prehistorical villages. The former is renowned for the distinctive red and yellow ceramic vessels decorated with complex linear patterns, the latter for its long graceful jars.
• The theatre of Palazzolo Acreide, dating back to the III century is also worth a visit.

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